Egypt to Release Google Executive

Google Inc.’s top executive for the Middle East, missing for 10 days after participating in Egypt’s largest demonstrations in decades, will be released from government custody Monday, according to family members.

Wael Ghonim, an Internet activist who has helped run social networking sites critical of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s government, has become a rallying symbol for the demonstrators demanding the resignation of the long-time president.

Mr. Ghonim was feared to be among the some 1,200 activists and demonstrators detained since the start of the protests on Jan. 25, according to human rights workers and political activists. However, since he disappeared on Jan. 28 there has been no information about his whereabouts.

“Wael is going to be released tomorrow at 4 p.m., several people from the authorities … called us to tell us,” Hazem Ghonim, Wael’s brother, said in a telephone interview from Cairo.

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